Spring Break
by Rashel k
Summary: The gang have been planning this trip even before they broke up for spring break. But why does Maka and Soul's relationship seem to be more rocky than usual? Is that Maka I see wavering on her feet in the heat? Ice cream comes into the mix? :) Click me, read me, love me.


Maka sighed audibly, thinking of how long it would take her to walk back to the apartment from here. _Well, it took us half an hour to get here and that was with Soul's terribly fast driving... So that times two then add an extra- _

"Maka, stop brooding," Soul cut into her thoughts.

Maka gave him a half-hearted scowl which Soul returned with interest. "I'm not brooding," she snapped.

"And you're not going home. We're finally on spring break and I'm not letting you study endlessly like usual. We arranged this trip to the beach before we even broke up from the academy."

Maka looked away and took in the busy area, children already building castles in the soft golden sand and rushing back from the blue sea with buckets of water for their creations. She spotted the gang before Soul and strode away with him casually trailing in her wake. Tsubaki caught sight of them and cracked a beaming smile.

"Soul, Maka, glad you made it."

"No thanks to pouty over here," Soul muttered, striding past Maka to settle down on the blanket besides Kid. Maka ducked her head, her hand absently searching her back for her heavy hard backed novel and crept closer to the oblivious weapon who had struck up conversation with the shinigami at his side.

"Maka-Chop!"

Maka huffed, shoving her book back into her bag with more force than necessary, scowling down at the bleeding unconscious albino crumpled at her feet. "Maka, don't you think you over did it?" Kid commented smoothly. None wanted to get onto the wrong side of a Maka-Chop, even a Death God.

"He deserved it," Maka frowned.

The girls nodded, assuming that Soul probably did bring it upon himself but Kid gave his friend a skeptical look. Maka was flushed, her skin a little too white while her cheeks were strangely rosy. Maka suddenly uttered something to Tsubaki and backed out of the circle of people that had accumulated around them. Kid watched as Maka settled herself under the shade of one of the few trees nearer the coast and begin to read her book. Kid's attention was drawn away from Maka when Liz asked him to come into the water with her. Kid was pretty immune to female charisma, being a Shinigami and all, but looking at Liz now, her long dark honey blonde hair having been pulled up into a cute pony tail, allowing her gorgeous symmetrical face to become more visible, Kid was struck with awe. Her eyes were wide with delight, her smile warm and enticing. It was all Kid could do not to blush. He was pulled quickly into the water, sparing one last glance at the solitary blonde under the trees shade before his attention was captured by the beautiful woman pulling him into the waters cool embrace.

Maka heard joyful shouts and looked up to see her friends laughing blissfully. Maka felt a jab of misery but quickly smothered it. She had woken up feeling terrible but seeing Soul's excited grin as he grabbed his keys she'd kept quiet about it. Though she still complained about being dragged out to the beach, though luckily Soul had put it down to the fact that she was a book-worm and would rather spend her time locked up studying. This wasn't totally true. In fact, Maka had secretly been waiting for their group trip down to the beach. She wanted to relax with her friends and just chat about nothing in particular rather than battle strategies, though she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy those topics at all.

Maka let out a long breath, leaning against the tree's cold bark. She was beginning to feel woozy.

"Maka, want an ice cream?"

Maka blinked up at the figure leaning over her. She hadn't even heard his approach which was plain disturbing. Soul was looking at her expectantly. She tried to shake her head but she thought better of it, not wanting to encourage her groggy head to worsen. "No thank you." Soul hovered for a moment before strolling towards the ice cream van that had taken the opportunity to park up on the side of the road leading to the beach. Soul waited patiently in line, puzzling over Maka's behaviour. She hadn't seemed quite right this morning but Soul had been too hyped up about the beach to pay attention. He felt guilt tingle at his soul and he sniggered. _She was the one who Maka-Chopped him for no damn reason. She should be the one feeling guilty_, he argued. His argument fell flat while the guilt hummed on. He groaned and shook his head.

"Buddy, what d'ya want? Haven't got all day."

Soul quickly paid for the ice cream but instead of walking back to the group he went to stand before his Meister once more. She'd closed her eyes again. Soul looked her over, noting that her ash blonde pigtails were blowing to the side, caressing her delicate face. She looked so peaceful it was difficult to imagine her as the menacing young woman he'd come to know. Her cheeks were a light pink, her lips pale and slightly open. Soul squatted down and leaned forwards.

Maka was tired. Too tired to care why she felt the air around her move. When a light pressure was applied to her forehead she barely cared enough to open her eyes. She did however manage to and what she saw was he partners face inches from her own, their foreheads connected. Maka felt heat rise to her cheeks which was ridiculous. This was her partner, her weapon, her-

"You've got a temperature," Soul accused angrily. She blinked at him as he pulled back slightly to glare at her. "You should have told me."

"I'm f-"

"No, you are not fine!" He snapped. "No wonder you were so reluctant to come out. You're burning up. Why didn't you tell me? We could have stayed home."

"That's why I didn't tell you," Maka tried to growl but she felt exhausted.

"What do you mean, that's the reason?" Soul hadn't dropped his glare but it had softened when he saw her drained expression.

"You would have stayed home. I'm not going be the reason you don't get to have any fun, Soul. As you said- its spring break."

"Your health is more important than fooling around during spring break," Soul growled. _This girl was unbelievable_... "We're going home."

"Soul, no! I'm fine," Maka protested but even to her ears it sounded weak.

"We're going home," Soul snarled, angrier with himself for not noticing back in the apartment than her. She was ill and she had stayed quiet just so he could have a laugh with everyone at the beach, and it burned his blood that he had overlooked her. He was meant to protect her and _he_ was the one who'd dragged her out into the boiling sun in such a state... "Stay here," he commanded and Maka rolled her eyes. Soul marched back to the group, declaring that he was taking Maka home before grabbing their stuff and storming back to his Meister leaving his friends gaping mouthed, confused. At his return Maka couldn't help but grin. "What?"

"Your ice creams melting," she remarked lightly. Soul looked down at the cone he still had in his grip, surprised that he hadn't crushed it while he was barking at Maka for not telling him. He saw movement from the corner of his gaze and suddenly a warm tongue ran across his fingers, capturing the running vanilla streams in their path. Soul breathed in sharply as he watched his partner lick the trails of ice cream that had ran down his hand from his skin. Once she was done she took a long lick of the vanilla ice cream, finally allowing her gaze to flicker up at her stunned partner. He had stayed silent as Maka had licked away, while she was screaming in her own head with questions on what the hell she was doing. Maka swallowed nervously. _The fever was making her do things... That's it; she wouldn't have done that if she wasn't ill._.. Soul's eyes were hooded as he looked at Maka, the bloody orbs darkening in colour bewitching Maka in with their astonishing depth.

"I thought you didn't want any ice cream," Soul finally spoke, his voice emotionless. Maka licked her lips and Soul's eyes were drawn down by the small movement. Maka didn't trust her voice. _It's the fever, not you, it's the fever making you heart thud so fast and making your skin hot, the fever!_ Soul didn't know what he was doing but he felt himself lean forward to whisper into Maka's ear. "I think I'd like it back," Soul purred, nipping the skin on the side of her ear. Maka froze as Soul pulled back to dance a feathers distance from her lips.

"Soul-"

Maka didn't get to finish whatever she had planned to say because Soul's lips caught hers and a quite moan was ripped from her throat. Soul's head was hazy, his body responding by instinct. He didn't know what the _hell_ he was going. _This was his Meister. This was Maka! This was his _ill _Maka..._ That thought gave him the restraint to pull away from a disappointed Maka who mewed a soft protest. Soul felt his insides clench at the needy sound but he kept his cool and gritted his teeth. _Maka was delusional and wasn't thinking straight. She didn't want to kiss him and her fever was messing with her emotions, her actions, _Soul chilled himself. Soul gathered Maka in his arms and somehow managed to collect their discarded things. Maka cuddled into Soul's warm chest, utterly grateful to have such a considerate partner. She had drifted off and when she came back around she was startled to find herself tucked in her own bed, a cool flannel across her forehead. She groaned as she pushed herself into a sitting position, her head spinning at an unreal speed.

"You shouldn't push yourself just yet," came a voice in the blur of a room.

Maka squinted as she tried to focus. Giving up, she slumped back and coughed feebly. She felt the flannel on her head be taken away and replaced by a fresh cold one that caused her to sigh blissfully. She must have voiced her delight as she heard a distant rumble of laughter. Words were being spoken but she was already being dragged under again, her consciousness being drowned in the eternal blackness.

Maka woke to see darkness threatening her from all around. She saw the sun was setting from the window and swung her legs from her bed. She felt so much more grounded that she decided that she had to get up. She stood and just like that it seemed to snap the gate of fuzziness that had withheld her memories from the beach. Maka coloured in embarrassment. _Oh god, what did I do? What could Soul possibly think of me now...? _She took in a deep breath, steeling herself as she purposely walked to the door, glad her legs were co-operating. She had to face him and now was way better than later, when she probably would have lost her nerve. Maka heard the lull of the TV and she peered into the living room to see a slumped figure on the sofa. She tiptoed her way over to her sleeping partner and kneeled by his head. His arm was tucked under his head for support and his mouth hung open as he snored softly. His wild white hair appeared silver in the darkening room, and Maka couldn't help but capture one of the untamed locks of hair between her fingers. She was surprised to find it silky to touch. She had always imagined it to be crisp with all the stupid hair products people were so fond of but he seemed to be blessed with sleek envy worthy hair. Not that she ever imagined running her fingers through his hair. That wasn't the type of thing that went through her mind at night...

_Keep saying that. Maybe one day you'll actually believe it,_ her reasoning sneered at her. Her fingers had released the captured lock of silver to trail the smooth skin of Soul's cheek to his neck where she froze. _What the hell was she doing?!_ She went to pull away when her wrist was seized by a strong warm hand. Too warm. Maka looked at Soul in alarm. What Maka didn't know was that Soul hadn't really been asleep. He'd been dosing with his eyes closed but at the sound of movement in the room of his Meister his senses had stood to attention and he had tracked her progress towards him. He was taken back when he felt those delicate fingers tugging gently at his hair and was amazed when they trailed down his face to his neck, leaving a heated trail behind them. It took everything he had not to lean up to press his lips to taunting roommates parted pair.

Maka's head had abandoned her with no excuse, no words at all, to offer her partner for an explanation for any of her actions. Soul saved her the trouble after an agonisingly long moment, "Are you hungry?"

Maka nodded mutely. She was all too awe of her wrist that was still held captive in Soul's burning grasp. He smiled at her making her stomach clench for reasons Maka didn't want to look into.

"Has your fever gone?" Soul queried though he gave her no time to answer as he snaked his other hand around the back of her neck, tugging her forwards with both grips, so their foreheads caressed each others. Maka felt her face begin to burn, and she shivered though clearly not from the cooling room. Soul released her, "you seem to be over the worst of it." Maka pushed away, her bangs covering her eyes and glowing cheeks. Soul went to get up but Maka stopped him by placing a small dainty hand on his warm solid chest_. Has my hand always been so delicate in comparison? _

"Soul... about what happened. You know a-at the beach... I-I..." Maka stuttered much to her embarrassment.

Soul watched his Meister struggle with amusement. Now this was a curious sight, Maka Albarn having trouble with her words.

"It-it... I didn't- I shouldn't have..."

"Don't worry about it."

Maka snapped her head up astonished. Soul gazed at her levelly as she continued to scrutinize his face, looking for something. He gave her a lopsided smile, noting how her eyes sparkled at his small gesture. He gently pulled her hand from his chest, her petite hand fitting perfectly in his. "I'll make us something to eat." Maka watched Soul saunter into the kitchen, whistling a quiet tune. She took his place on the sofa, sighing into the warmth sill echoing in the material. The tune tickled something in her mind and she accepted it, allowing the memory to flood before her eyes. The piano, the day they met, the music Soul had played for her, her alone. Then the memory of the beach, the kiss, Soul pulling her away with a look of concern. She closed her eyes, listening to her partner clattering about in the kitchen, a small smile twitching at her lips. _Soul... You baka._

Maka smiled radiantly down at the mewing bundle in her arms, pale blonde hair covering the intelligent bloody eyes, before looking back up to the class she was teaching till her recovery time was over. The children shuffled around, the girls giggling and cooing '_awww_' while the boys inched closer to the refreshments table at the back. Maka cast her eyes up to the windows to catch a glimpse of wild white hair dipping out of sight. "That was two years ago today... Maybe one day I'll tell you what happened afterwards, but I think you can guess." Maka smiled, mentally rolling her eyes at the young man hiding from her view outside the window. _You baka_.


End file.
